NEYMAR MISUNDERSTOOD AT PSG AS ALVES CALLS FOR MESSI TREATMENT

  Dani Alves feels Neymar is misunderstood at Paris Saint-Germain, believing the Brazilian star needs the same treatment as Barcelona captain Lionel Messi.

Neymar has won Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue and Trophee des Champions since his world-record €222million transfer from Barca in 2017.

The 27-year-old forward scored 28 goals in all competitions during his first season, while he managed 20 before suffering a foot injury in January.

Neymar has been linked with a return to LaLiga via Barca's bitter rivals Real Madrid, and PSG team-mate Alves said the Brazil captain should be treated like five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.

"Here, everyone has not yet understood Neymar," Alves told RMC Sport. "When the ball is at the feet of this kind of player, there is like the scent of truffles.

"What's going on is like with Messi. Around Messi, there are other players. Here, we did not understand Neymar always gets and needs the ball and he gives you what you don't have. I give him the ball, and he does what he wants.

"Imagine I'm paying for an entrance to see a show. People need to understand, what do they want to see?

"If Messi loses the ball, we run to get it back and give it back to him [To let him] create things.

"People don't change, they get better, they take shots, they have to be smart, but they must not change the way they play, otherwise people will fall asleep. PSG has different players."

Experienced full-back Alves, meanwhile, said Ligue 1 holders PSG should heed his advice in their pursuit of Champions League glory.

PSG suffered a third consecutive last-16 exit in Europe, this time capitulating against Manchester United as they bowed out on away goals following a 3-1 second-leg loss in Paris, having won 2-0 at Old Trafford.

Alves, who has won 34 club titles since moving to Europe in 2002 – including three Champions League titles and six LaLiga crowns – said: "I know how to win.

"When I want to say something I would like to be followed. Not because I'm better than any other but because I've been there.

"When someone has been there maybe it's good to listen to them, to rely on their experience. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. I would like that when I say something, one would listen more."

The 35-year-old added that head coach Thomas Tuchel is the "best transfer made by the Paris club" since his arrival.

OFFICIAL BARCELONA XI VS LYON

 How would you rate Valverde's selection pick for the French side on a scale from 1 to 10?

Starting XI: Ter Stegen, Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Arthur, Coutinho, Messi, Suarez.

Subs: Cillessen, Semedo, Umtiti, Arturo Vidal, Aleñá, Malcom and Dembélé.

ARTHUR REGRETS ATTENDING NEYMAR’S BIRTHDAY PARTY

 Arthur accepts he made a mistake by attending Neymar's birthday shortly before Barcelona's Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid.

The Brazil midfielder, Neymar's international team-mate, celebrated with the former Barca star in Paris at the start of February.

Arthur started against Madrid in the first leg of the Copa Clasico semi-final two days later but suffered a hamstring injury during the game.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Lyon, Arthur made clear his regret at going to the event.

"I think so," Arthur told a news conference when asked if he made an error. "Sometimes life has these ups and downs, I wanted to go but I'm also aware of my responsibilities.

"I knew what I was doing but if anybody was upset by that, it's a process my team-mates have helped me with a lot. I'm very grateful to the club management, who have always shown a lot of concern about me.

"It was a difficult time, but the joy came back as I've recovered from my injury. I know I have to improve a lot as a person, when I've needed help I've always received that help and I'm very happy to be here at Barca."

Neymar, who missed Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League shock exit to Manchester United due to injury, has been linked with a return to Barcelona.

But Real Madrid are also reportedly interested in the forward, with Arthur accepting Neymar could yet join Barca's rivals.

"It's an option for him that he could think about," Arthur said. "He'd need to speak to his family about it.

"As a friend I just wish him the very best. I don't know what he'll choose to do.

"Me, as a friend, all I can do is wish him the very best in the world. It's not me who signs the papers."

Barca's 0-0 draw at Lyon in the first leg gives them the advantage ahead of the return fixture at Camp Nou, but Arthur noted surprise results elsewhere in the competition will keep the LaLiga leaders on their toes.

"Madrid and PSG are big teams and they haven't qualified, the teams that beat them have played better, they deserved the win," Arthur added.

"We have to resepct the teams that are in the competition. We're focused on this game, totally focused on this game. We're expecting a lot from Lyon, we know it's going to be very hard to win."

JOSE MOURINHO OPEN TO LIGUE 1 JOB

 

Jose Mourinho has suggested he would take a job in Ligue 1, while attending Lille's home game against Montpellier.

Mourinho, who has worked as a television pundit after being sacked by Manchester United in December, was pictured shaking hands with former France striker Nicolas Anelka at Sunday's game.

Earlier this month Mourinho was caught on camera suffering a fall at an ice hockey game in Russia, but he was on safer ground at the Stade Pierre Mauroy to watch a 0-0 draw.

"Look who is invited in the stands of the Stade Pierre Mauroy to attend #LOSCMHSC," Lille posted on Twitter with a photo of Mourinho at the game. "No, no, you're not dreaming - it's Jose Mourinho, the 'special one' in person."

The Portuguese coach has won league titles in his homeland as well as Italy, Spain and England throughout his distinguished career, which has also produced a pair of Champions League crowns, and he suggested he may be keen to work in France.

"I can imagine myself as a coach in Ligue 1," Mourinho, who previously dismissed speculation he could take charge of Benfica, said to beIN SPORTS.

"I am a man who has worked in four different countries, I like to know and learn other cultures. Working in a new championship would be a fantastic experience.

"For now I'm calm, I try to live better with my family and friends and I work to get the right opportunity to go back to training.

"Two to three months [without a job] is okay, afterwards it's more difficult. I hope to have the opportunity to come back stronger.

"My project is my project as a person and coach, to improve myself, to be better, to think all days about my profession, which is also a passion. But this is not the time to talk with clubs."

Mourinho, previously linked with taking charge at Paris Saint-Germain, was reportedly a guest of Lille's technical director Luis Campos, with whom he worked at Real Madrid.

Campos - who has been linked with a move to either Chelsea or Manchester United - was sat next to Mourinho, who took a selfie with Lille goalkeeper Kouakou Herve Koffi.

Mourinho and his assistants were paid a total of £19.6million in compensation by United after the manager was sacked.

Interim replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has subsequently led the club back into the Premier League's top four.

MBAPPE VS RASHFORD:- THE FUTURE OF WORLD FOOTBALL

 

Manchester United's battle with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League will be headlined by two of the finest young players in Europe who represent the future of football; Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford.

The 20-year-old Mbappe and 21-year-old Rashford have become the focal points for two of the biggest clubs in the competition, outshining even their high-profile teammates including Neymar, Edinson Cavani, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku.

With arguably the two most talented young strikers in world football going head-to-head over two legs, LiveScore analyses the performances of the pair this season and how they might impact the massive Round of 16 tie.

Kylian Mbappe

With an absurd 25 goals from 30 games across all competitions, Kylian Mbappe's legend continues to grow. After a 2018 that saw the Frenchman help PSG to the Ligue 1 title, lead France to World Cup glory and win the inaugural Kopa trophy as the best young player in the world, you would have forgiven Mbappe for regressing slightly. But that has not been the case.

In 27 league games last season Mbappe notched 13 goals and 8 assists. This season in just 17 games he has 18 goals and 6 assists, with an astonishing 75% of his shots on target. That means Mbappe is contributing nearly 1.5 goals per game and scoring himself once every 73 minutes. He has also increased his key passes per game from 1.8 to 2.3. The development is staggering, despite playing alongside ball dominant players including the aforementioned Neymar and Cavani and Angel Di Maria. 

Mbappe is yet to play at Old Trafford, but the Theatre of Dreams will not daunt the youngster as he showed when scoring in his first appearance at Anfield during a 3-2 loss to Liverpool. With Cavani and Neymar both out injured, the 20-year-old may get the chance to play as the lone striker, a role he has not played since his days at Monaco. He could pose a huge threat in the position against a suspect Manchester United defence.

Former manager Jose Mourinho identified the centre back position as the greatest area of need and made several attempts to sign Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld and Leicester's Harry Maguire because of his distrust in their current options of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof. Jones and Lindelof in particular have been vastly improved under new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the club chose not to bring in any reinforcements in the January transfer window, but many are still unconvinced by the pair and Mbappe could reap havoc with his pace.

PSG will likely set up to play on the counter attack after missing so many of their first choice options, which will make Mbappe's role even more important. His combination with Marco Verratti and di Maria will be crucial, particularly if they can get him early, quick ball so he can isolate defenders and use his speed and dribbling ability to attack David de Gea's goal. 

The weight on his 20-year-old shoulders will be immense, but his performance will likely decide whether Paris can go into their home leg with any kind of advantage.

Marcus Rashford

Rashford, like Mbappe, has built on a promising 2018 campaign that also saw him experience a deep run in the World Cup as England lost in the semi-finals to Croatia. Rashford burst onto the scene under Louis van Gaal in 2016, scoring on debut for Manchester United in the Europa League, scoring on his Premier League debut against Arsenal and scoring in his Champions League debut the following season.

His career slightly stalled under Jose Mourinho, a manager infamous for his lack of trust in youth players, making 17 starts and 18 substitute appearances in the 2017/18 Premier League season. The 21-year-old managed 7 goals and 5 assists last season, but has bettered both those marks with 9 goals and 6 assists in 22 Premier League appearances this season, including 6 goals in 9 games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Like Mbappe, Rashford's game is built on his speed, dribbling skills and natural finishing ability. Both showed from very young ages they were born strikers, finding the net in a various of different ways from different angles and with both feet. While Mbappe usually plays as the wide forward, Rashford is now United's first choice central striker, and his influence has increased as a result. His familiarity with the role could give him an edge over Mbappe as far as their head-to-head battle goes.

PSG are far more settled at the back than Manchester United and offer a much more daunting task for Rashford to overcome than Mbappe, with Brazilian legend Thiago Silva and French rising star Presnel Kimpembe patrolling the centre of the defence. Both are incredible athletes blessed with strength, power and speed, and will be able to at least keep in the same post code as Rashford, while Jones and Lindelof will have a much more difficult task sticking with Mbappe.

Where Rashford can hurt the French champions is with his fluent movement. Under Mourinho Rashford was being deployed in a wide position, so he is more than comfortable floating into different areas to receive the ball, provide width and move around the defence. Expect him to switch repeatedly with either Alexis Sanchez or Anthony Martial, depending on who is given the left wing role, and Jesse Lingard who will likely be played wide right. If Rashford and the other members of United's front three can keep moving Silva and Kimpembe out of position and attack the absence of Thomas Meunier, it could go a long way to handing Manchester United an advantage as they head to Park des Princes for the second leg.

Regardless of the result, it appears both Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford will be facing off in Champions League and potentially World Cup matches for years to come.